IC cards, which are of about the same width and length as a typical credit card, have dimensions defined by PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association). Such cards have a width and length of 54 mm and 85.6 mm, respectively, with three different types having thicknesses of 3.3 mm, 5 mm, and 10.6 mm. Recent cards allow connection of the card to a local area network (LAN) by providing a receptacle connector at the rear of the IC card. An adapter cable assembly has a plug connector at its front end that plugs into the receptacle connector at the rear of the card. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,387,110 and 5,411,402 describe plug connectors of this type, which have latches at their middles.
Newer IC cards require greater numbers of contacts. A latching mechanism for retaining a plug connector to the rear of the card, may occupy space that otherwise could hold several contacts, which makes even less space available. When the plug and receptacle contacts mate, electrical ground planes or grounds of the plug and receptacle connectors and/or their corresponding circuit boards must be connected. If grounding is to occur through regular pin and socket contacts, then such grounding contacts may not have sufficient current-carrying capacity, and they waste space that could otherwise be occupied by signal contacts. Also, there may be a substantial buildup of static electricity in the plug or receptacle, and a spark created as contacts closely approach each other, could damage adjacent contacts, especially in the case of pin contacts wherein there is no insulation between the free ends of adjacent pins. Plug and receptacle connectors which facilitated grounding to each other while minimizing the amount of space required for the grounding connections and while isolating any sparks created during mating from signal-carrying contacts, would be of value.